'Hindu community is in trouble'

NAVSARI (GUJARAT) -- Raking up the issue of conversions, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today said such attempts are unlikely to be successful in the country as the missionaries "do not have the strength".

Bhagwat pitched for Hindu unity and asked members of the community to come together irrespective of caste and language.

"...After converting people to Christianity in the US, Europe, they (missionaries) are eyeing Asia. China calls itself secular, but will it allow itself to come under Christianity? No. Will Middle-East countries let it happen? No. They now think India is the place.

"But they should keep it in mind, notwithstanding their strong push over 300 years, only six per cent of Indian population could be converted to Christianity. Because they do not have strength," he said.

The chief made the remarks while delivering valedictory address at Virat Hindu Sammelan, organised by Bharat Sevashram Sangh in Vansda in the district.

Bhagwat sought to buttress his point by saying how two churches, one in the US and another in Birmingham in the UK, were converted into Ganesh temple and offices of Vishwa Hindu Parishad respectively, by a Hindu businessman in America.

"This is the condition (of missionaries) in their own countries and they want to convert us. They cannot do it, they do not have that strength," he added.

Bhagwat asked Hindus to remember "who they are" and that their culture is "superior".

"Hindu community is in trouble. Which country are we living in? Our own country. This is our land, from the Himalayas (in the north) to the sea (in south). This is the land of our ancestors. Bharat Mata is mother of us all.

"We have forgotten ourselves. We are all Hindus. Let our castes, languages we speak, regions we come from, gods we worship be different. Those who are sons of Bharat Mata, are Hindus. Hence, India is called Hindustan," he said.

Terming Hindu religion as one based on truth, Bhagwat said Hindus never tried to convert people pursuing other religions as they believe in co-existence.

He urged people of all religions to "walk together" to make the world a better place and India a world leader.

He reaffirmed the RSS stand that Hindus and non-Hindus living in "integrated India" have common ancestors who share the same DNA.

Bhagwat urged the attendees to reach out to their "brothers", to whom they have not gone for ages, keeping aside differences of caste, religion and language.

"We should go to our brothers whom we have not gone to for ages. We did not go to them and hence these things (spread of other religions) are happening. We should go to them to share their pain, cooperate with them and perform our long-forgotten duty to make them aware of who they are, that we have common ancestors," he added.

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